All my life I have struggled with writing, now my work is completely covered in text. This paradigm shift has allowed me to experiment in different art forms, and face fears through the medium of art. An interesting adventure in self-discovery! The text in my pieces acts on several levels. For instance, it has texture, pattern, mystery and a path to look inward to decipher a glimpse into my private thoughts.
I am fascinated by the rhythmic qualities created by color, texture, and patterns. Decoration and the act of decorating are essential because it celebrates and enhances form and speaks purely of aesthetics. I use pottery as a vehicle to explore decoration and other formal questions. It allows me to investigate form, space and image. My greatest satisfaction comes from thoroughly filling surfaces with color and finely detailed decoration in a spirit that I feel is playful and whimsical. My attempt is to make the environment an expressive participant and to address the importance of aesthetics in our daily lives.

Norman’s current works deals with the inner dialogue that she constantly has with herself. The vessels are inspired by stories from her life, snippets of conversation, and memories that she repeats in her head over and over again. She is fascinated by the rhythmic qualities created by color, texture, and patterns. Decoration and the act of decorating are essential because it celebrates and enhances form and speaks purely of aesthetics.

“…a series of ceramic “talking covered vessels,” which boldly balance text as pattern and mantra with abstract passages of color and line.” - Sarah Tanguy, art critic and curator for Art in Embassies Program

Connie Norman works with earthenware clay fired to cone 04, constructing her pieces through a combination of hand-built techniques, which includes slab building, coiling, and press and slump molding. She then uses old moveable type-face to individually press in each letter on the piece.